Video
Instagram video ads: formats, length, safe zones and the first seconds
Ratios, sizes and lengths for feed, Stories and Reels video ads, the safe zones in pixels, and how to make the first seconds count.
Read the postThe Insta-Editor blog
Practical ideas for better Instagram posts, Stories and Reels – editing, design, captions, video, growth and privacy – each with a free tool to try it right away.
Growth
A profile audit checklist for Instagram, from bio to hashtags
A section-by-section checklist for any Instagram profile: header, highlights, grid, captions, hashtags and activity, plus what to fix first.
Design
Frames, borders, overlays and rounded corners without looking dated
Thin borders, subtle light leaks and rounded corners that look current: simple rules for thickness, opacity, blend modes and a consistent style.
Growth
What public numbers can and can't tell you about an Instagram account
What likes, comments and posting dates reveal about any public account, and why reach, saves and demographics stay out of reach.
Growth
The five-hashtag limit and how to pick the five that matter
Instagram now allows five hashtags per post. A simple method to choose one broad, two niche and two specific tags that fit.
Video
Saving your Reels as MP4 or MP3 for editing and backup
Keep your own Reels as MP4 video or MP3 audio: the options compared, what Instagram's download leaves out, and the music rules.
Privacy
Mutual followers on Instagram, explained
What a following overlap between two accounts says, what it never shows, and what private accounts hide and do not hide.
Design
Designing story and post templates that people can read
Safe zones, text size, contrast and room for stickers: how to design story and post templates that work every time you reuse them.
Help
Instagram not working? Find the cause before you try a fix
Four quick checks that tell an Instagram outage from a problem with your network, your phone or your account, with fixes for each.
Growth
How to choose an Instagram username people remember
The rules for Instagram usernames, simple tests for a memorable handle, and five ways to find a free version of the name you want.
Editing
Photo editing basics: brightness, contrast, color and sharpness
Crop, light, contrast, color, sharpening: the order that makes edits easier to judge, and how far to take each slider.
Design
The 3:4 profile grid and how to plan a feed that crops well
The profile grid switched to tall tiles in January 2025. What gets cropped, the size to post, and how to plan a grid that looks right.
Design
Designing a consistent set of Instagram highlight covers
Icons, colors and names for highlight covers that look like one set and help visitors find what they came for.
Growth
How to spot fake followers and bots on Instagram
Empty profiles, sudden jumps and low engagement: how to tell a real audience from a padded one, and why buying followers backfires.
Text and captions
How to write Instagram captions that people actually read
Hooks that earn the "more" tap, how long a caption should be, and calls to action that start real conversations.
Text and captions
How Instagram fancy fonts really work
Fancy fonts are Unicode characters: where they come from, why some break, and what screen readers do with them.
Editing
Choosing the right filter for your Instagram photo
Pick a filter by light and subject, set the strength for skin, food and landscapes, and keep a feed consistent.
Design
Collage ideas for Instagram posts and stories
Ten collage layouts for posts and stories, when to use each, and how to make mixed photos look like a set.
Privacy
How to watch Instagram stories without appearing in the viewer list
What keeps your name off a story's viewer list, what doesn't, and the honest limits of anonymous viewing.
Privacy
Can you see a private Instagram account without following it?
Why private accounts can't be unlocked, how viewer scams work, and the honest ways to see what you need.